Rail joint



July 28, 1925.

J. W, CLARK RAIL JOINT GID/Aff 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 13, 1925 Patented July 28, '1925.

UNITEnsTATl-.s

' JOHN W. CLARK, or PROVIDENCE, RHoDnIsLAND.

' RAIL JOINT.

Appnauon mea 'March 13, 1925. vserian No. 15,320.l

T all whom t may concern.' Y.

Be it known that l, JOHN W. CLARK,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and '5 State of Rhode Island, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail Joints,

ofwhich the following yisa specification.

y This invention relates to an improved rail joint wherein a supporting member is posi l0 tioned beneath the meeting rail ends and is supported entirely by the joint structure in such a manner that the supporting member is continually held in contact with the-bases of the rails. p One object of the invention is to provide a structure ofthe character described where. in the supporting member is in turn supported directly from the inclined outer base portions of the fish plates, and any tightening of the clamping means provided foi; taking uf wearon the fish alates will result in osi# l tively forcing said supporting member di-I rectly upwardly against `the bases ofthe meeting rail ends Vthereby clamping the supportino' member rfirmly against the bases of the rails andl gripping the rail ends, as,A it were, between the jaws of a vise to hold each of the rail ends against movement` independently of the other.

Another objectof the 'inventionl is toy provide a structure of this character' wherein the pivot points of the side members` are so arranged and the parts so proportioned that the lines of force developed in clamping the structure intersect at a point at or adjacent to the longitudinal,center lines of the railbases Ato thereby most effectively force the supporting member into Contact with the bases of the meeting rail ends and continually hold the supporting member in contact therewith. i Y

A further object of the invention :is to so proportion the side members and locate their pivot points that the parts ofsad 15 side members contacting with the outer sur-` faces of the fish plates will properly contact with the outer surfaces of said fish plates inv different positions of said fish plates as they are forced inwardly towards the rails to -f take up wear thereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide a structure of the character described wherein the fish plates are engaged by a plurality of contacts on the side members f which are adapted to furnish a direct supthe parts being-so proportioned that the.

rseveral contacts will engage therfish plates .plates may be taken up from time to time l port forthe heads of themeeting rail ends, i'

while constantly maintaining a line of support between the rail heads and the bases thereof." I

Other objects and advantages ofthek in# vention relate to certain improved details of construction and novel methods of opera-- tion, "as will be more fully set forth in the detailed description to follow.

lReferring to the accompanying drawings and forming a part of this specification:-d

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of my iinproved rail joint;

Fig. 2 is a Vvertical sectional view, taken along the line 2 2 of Fig. l;

Figa iis avertical sectional view of vva modified form ofthe structure, and, i l Fig.- @is a' diagrammatic view illustrat-L ing the positions of the bearing points ofthe side members Ain varying adjusted positions ofthe fish plates.

In thea companying drawings 1 and 2 i designate the meeting rail ends each of lwhich is provided with a head portion 3, a

web portion 4 and va base 5, which may be supported by ties 6 of the conventional type. Fish plates 7 and 8 of similarconstruction are, positioned upon opposite sides 0f the web portions 4: of the meeting rail ends, each 0fy said fish plates being provided with an inwardly and downwardly inclined shoulder 9 adapted to bear against the under surface of the rail heads, and an inwardly and upwardlyinclined shoulder 10 vadapted to bear againstthe upper surface of the rail base portions.V The outer surface of each fish platev is made up of a head and base flanges 11 and 12 and asubstantially straight verticalr portion 14 rlocated between the" head and base flanges. v f t c if The oint structure comprises a supporting member 16 having spaced ears 17 extending somewhat beyond the longitudinal side edge of the rail base and upwardly inclinedv as shown in Fig. 2. The spaced ears 17 lo` cated upon each side of the supporting member are provided with aligned openings 18 for thereception of a pinl 19, which passes through a similar opening, 20Y in that porpositioned between the spaced ears 17 upon one side of the supporting member. rlhe outer edge portions of the supporting member are cut away as indicated by reference character 22, and the edges thus lcut away are inclined downwardly and inwardly as shown at 23, these inclined portions being provided with curved bearing surfaces 24 for apurpose which will be more fully de scribed hereinafter.

The side members 21 are of similar construction, each being of angular cross-section as seen in Fig. 2 and having the opening 2G for the reception of the pin 19 located at or adjacent to the vertex of the angle formed. rlhe upwardly extending portion 26 of each side member 21 makes an ang-le of substantially 45 degrees with the downwardly extending portion 27 thereof whereby the downwardly xtending portion 27 of the side member extends in a direction substantially parallel to the inclined surface 23 of the supporting member' and upon pressure being' exerted therebetween the upwardly extending vportion 25 of the side member will be forced into binding contact with the curved outer surfaces at the base of the fish plate to positively draw the supporting member 1b directly upwardly and force the same against. the base of the rail ends.

1While in the present instance the angle which the upwardly extending portion 2G of veach side member 21 makes with the downwardly yextending portion 27 thereof is approfzimately 90 degrees it is to be understood that the angle of inclination of the parts 26 and 27 relative to each other may be either greater or less than 90 degrees depending upon the proportions given to other parts of the structure and the location of the points of pivo-tal connection of the side members with the supporting member. A jack-screw 28 is threaded in the downwardly extending portion 27 of each side member and arranged to bear against the curved bearing surface 24 for exerting pressure loetween 'the downwardly extending portion 27 of each side member and the inclined edge 23 of the support-ing member to force the upwardly extending portion 26 of each side member into gripping engagement with the fish plates and clamp the supporting member 16 and rail bases 5 between the upwardly extending portions 2G of the side members which engage the curved surfaces at the bases of the fish plates and the ends of the j ack-screws 28 `whereby the supporting mem ber 1G and rail bases 5 are clamped together as between thel jaws of a vise, the lines of force exerted by the upwardly extending portions 26 engaging the outer curved surfaces at the base of the fish plates and the lines efforce exerted by the jack-screws 28 substantially intersecting in a vertical plane located approximately at the longitudinal centers of the rails. This clamping action of the parts tends to positively force the supporting member 16 directly upwardly against the longitudinal centers of the rail ends, the directions of the several forces being such as to concentrate the effect of the force exerted, along the longitudinal center lines of the rails.

The upwardly extending portions 26 of the side members have each thiee points of bea-ring where they contact with the fish plates as may be seen upon reference to Fig. 2 of the drawings the point 30 where the extreme end of the upwardly extending portion of the side member contacts with the head 11 of the fish plate, the point 31 where a portion of the upwardly extending portion of the side member contacts with the vertical portion 14 of the fish plate, and the point 32 where the lower rounded -portion of the upwardly extending portion 26 of the sidel member contacts with the outer curved portion of the base of the fish plate. The parts are so proportioned that the three points of contact above described will be effective after thelish plates have become worn and are consequently drawn closer towards each other, vwithin such limits as constitute the probable maximum movements of the fish plates, as is diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings. ln Fig. 4 of the drawings, the solid line designated by reference character 34 illustrates the initial position of the fish plate, while the dotted line 35 designates the position of the fish plate after the maximum degree of wear has taken place and the fish plate has been forced over towards the rail to compensate for the wear, 36 designates the pivot point of the side member and 37 the bearing point of the: side member against the shoulder 11 of the fish plate in its original position, while 38 and 38 designates respectively, a point on the side member when in its original position and after the side member has been turned through the angle 40 designates the bearing point of the side member against the vertical portion 14 of the fish plate in its original position, while 40 designates the point on the side member bearing against the vertical portion 14 of the fish plate after the side member has been turned through the angle ZL 41 designates the bearing point of the side member against the outer curved base portion of the fish plate when the fish plate is in its original position while 42 and 42 designates respectively a point on the side member when in its original position and after the side member has been turned through the angle c. rflic angles a, l) and 0 are equal. rlhe bearing points or contacts 38, 40 and 42 illustrate the new points of contact which the upwardly extending portion of the side member maires with the fish plate after the fish plate has been drawn lll) into closer engagement-.with the railfcnds, the upwardly extending portion oftheside member' being so proportionedrthat as--the side member is swung about itsV axis 36 and raised slightly parts of the face of said side member will travel forwardly to contact vwith the fish plate and all of these contact pointsl will uniformly engage the fish plate in its adjusted position indicated by the line 35. For positions of the fishplate intermediate the lines 34 and Y35, other points on the upwardly extending vportion of the side member will travel forward to engage the j fish plates at the three points indicated. j

While the diagrammatic representation as shown in Fig. 4 illustrates the principle involved and shows how` the-three point contact of the upwardly extend-ing portion of the side member withthe fish plate is maintained in various adjusted positions ofthe fish plate, this showingl is not entirely accurate for the reasonthat another. factor enters into the adjustment which cannot be Vreadily shown, as follows: Asthe fish plates become worn, wear also takes vplace yon the upper face of 'the supporting member 16 an'd on the bases of the rails, although to a less degree than on the fish plates, and, as a re,- siilt ofthis condition the supporting member is drawn upward slightly in tensioning the parts, which causesv the pivot-point 36 to be raised slightly in the new vposition ,of the parts. rlhe elevation of the supporting member above the position which it initially occupies is very slight and for that reason cannot be readily illustrated but-it is sufiicient to raise the contact point 38 into engagement with the flange 11 of the fish plate as at 38 and to raise the vpoint 40.slightly above the level it would occupyv if the pivot point remained fixed at 36. It alsotendsto bring a new point 42 on' the curved contact surface `32 into engagement with the curved outer surface of the base of the fish plate at 42. The shape or contour of the several contacting surfaces carried by the upwardly extending portion 26 of each side member which bear against the sh plates at the various points of contact are such that when moved inwardly and as the pivot point 36 rises slightly these or similar points continue to f of course, understood that the above 'descriptien applies equally to the fish plates and upwardly extending portions of the side members located on opposite sides of the rail ends. Y

. Bolts, 45 are passed through enlarged openings 46 formedin the upwardly extending portions 26 of the side members as well as through the fish plates 7 and 8 and rail web 4 to assist in drawing the upwardly extending portions of the side members into Y close engagement with the fish plates and firmly connectthe several parts. The enlarged openings4 46 inthe upv ardly extending portions of the side members permit the necessary angularprnovement of Lthe side members aboutl their pivots to adjust the saine to compensate for wear on the fish plates and side members. f

The heads of the bolts 4G may be rounded kas indicated at 48 to suitably bear against thev side of the upwardly extending portion -26 of the side member in all positions of the same ,and the nuts 49 may be similarly Y rounded as indicated at 50 to similarly bear against the upwardlyextending portion 26-r of the oppositely positioned side member, whereby a proper bearing of the bolt heads and nuts is obtainableat all times. kBolts 52 l*are passed through the" fish plate-s 7 and 8 and rail webs 4 adjacent V.the ends of the fish platesl'to additionally support the plates iii proper operative position. l f Y.

The structure shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings is similar in all respects to that above described and shown in Fig. 2 thereof and similar reference characters have been applied thereto, except that the` supporting ymember 60 is provided with a central upstanding portion `61 bearing directly against the longitudinal center line of therail bases,

' while recessesr62 are formed in the supporting member on opposite sides of the upstanding portion'61 tov provide a supporting inember of less weight but so formed as to be constantly drawn into contact with the longitudinal center lines of the rail bases by means of` theclamping action exerted by the jack-screws 28 and the bearings of the up- Y wardly extending portions 26 of the side members on the outer curved surfaces at the bases 'of the fish plates. l

While it is my purpose'to employ fish plates/upon opposite sides of the meeting rail ends in order to strengthen the structure and additionally support the rail ends as well as serve toy providea direct support bef tween the heads and bases of the rails, it is to belunderstood that under certain conditions it may be found practicable to eliminate thefish plates, in which case thefupwardly extending portions of the side members may be made of more substantial size rand so formed as to fit between the heads and bases of the meeting rail ends on lopposite sides thereof whereby the upwardly extending portions of the side members will serve as ico Y effective substitutes for the fish plates and provide a support between the heads and bases of the rails as well as serve to draw the supporting member 16 against the bases of the rails.

From the above description it will be seen that the structure above described provides a gripping clamp for directly and positively forcing the supporting member against the longitudinal center line of the bases of the rail ends, the structure being so arranged that the supporting member is carried entirely by the rails and lforced against the bases of the rails by force exerted downwardly and inwardly from the curved outer base portions of the fish plates, whereby the structure becomes in effect an integral portion of the rail. rIhe provision of a plurality of contacts on the upwardly extending portions of the side members insures propo and firm engagement of the upwardly extending portions of the side members with the fish plates and maintains the fish plates in proper vertical positions, in the various adjusted positions of the latter.

rIhe contact between the parts `of the upwardly extending 'portion of each side m-ember and the shoulder 'l1 of each fish plate together with the cont ct of the lower portion of the upwardly extending portion of each side member and the outer curved base portion of each fish plate results in the formation of substantially vertical planes of support between the head and base portions of the rail ends and opposite the webs thereof, whereby independent movement of the rail ends is reduced to a minimum `and a support provided for those parts of the structure where such support is most required.

Although I have shown and described the upwardly extending portions Z6 of the side members as so formed as to provide three points of contact with the fish plates as at SO, 31 and 82, I may when desired so form the upwardly ext-ending portions 26 of the side members as to eliminate one of the contacts, as for example, each upwardly extending portion may be so formed as to Contact with the fish plate only at the points 30 and 89. which will, in some cases, give sunficient 'support to the fish plate to maintain the same in its upright position and provide a line of support for the head ll of the fish plate between the head and base thereof.

If desired the upwardly extending portions 26 may be formed to contact with the fish plates only at the points 3l and 32, or the portions 26 may be so formed as to maire extended contact with the vertical portions le. of the fish plates.

Although I have shown and described a preferred form of my invention, it is to be lunderstood that many changes may be made in the details of construction as shown without departing from the spirit and scopeof my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

That I claim is l. In a rail joint for meeting rail ends, a pair of fish plates engaging the opposite sides of the meeting rail ends, a supporting member underlying the said meeting rail ends, side members pivoted to said supporting member and having portions engaging the fish plates adjacent to the bases thereof, and means for exerting pressure between said supporting member and the side membersr to grip the rail base between the fish plates and the supporting member.

2. In a rail joint for meeting rail ends, a pair of lish plates engaging the opposite sides of the meeting. rail ends, a supporting member underlying said meeting rail ends, means carried by the supporting member and engaging the bases of said fish' plates for suspending the supporting member from the bases of the fish plates, and means for positively forcing said supporting inem-l ber into binding engagement with the bases of said meeting rail ends.

3. In a rail joint for meeting rail ends, a pair Vof shplates engaging the opposite sides of the meeting rail ends, a supporting member underlying said meeting rail ends,

side members carried by said supportingV member and overlying the bases of said fish plates, and means for exerting pressure between the overlying portions of said side members and said fish plates along lines intersecting at a point adjacent to the longitudinal center line of the rails whereby the said supporting member is positively forced into clamping engagement with the bases of said rails.

4e. In a rail joint for meetingrail ends, a supporting member underlying said meeting rail ends, side members pivotally connected to said supporting member and having portions projecting inwardly and overlying the bases of said meeting rail ends, and means cooperating with said supporting member and said 'side members for clamping the bases of said meeting rail ends between said supporting member and 'the overlying portions of said side members.

5. In a rail joint for meeting rail ends, a supporting member `provided with downwardly inclined faces and outwardly projecting portions, angular side members pivoted tothe outwardly projecting portions of said supporting member and each having a portion extending downwardly in substantial parallelism with one of the inclined faces of the supporting member and a. 'portion overlying the vbases of said meeting rail ends, and means cooperating with the downwardly extending portions of saidvside members and the inclined faces of said supporting member to exert tension upon the loted to said supporting member and pro` vided with upwardly extending portionsen gaging the saidfish plates and shaped-tol:

provide a plurality of contacts,and-meansv for drawing the upwardly extending portions of saidside members into clamping engagement with said' fish plates whereby the upwardly extending portions of `said side members will Contact with the fish plates substantially uniformly as the fish plates are drawn towards each other into various adjustedV positions to compensate for wear thereon. e

7. In a rail oint for meeting rail ends, a pair of fish plates overlying the meeting rail ends, a supporting member underlying said rail ends, side members pvoted to said supporting member and provided with upwardly extending' portions engaging said fish plates at a plurality of 'points and means for drawing the upwardly extending p ortionsA of said side membersfinto clamping engagement with said fishr plates, the upwardly extending portions of said side meme" bers being so proportioned to provide oontaots with said fish Vplates at the points.

of engagement therewith whereby substantially uniform contactv is maintained withV said fish plates in various adjusted positions of said fish plates. i v

8. In a rail joint for meeting rail ends, a pair of fish plates overlying the'meeting rail ends and each shaped to engage the lower surface of the rail head Vand Vthe upper surface ko f the rail base, a supporting member underlying said meeting rail ends, side .members pivoted to said supporting member upon opposite sides o-f said` rail endsy and each provided with an upwardly extending portion having a three-point contact with. one of the fish plates, and means for forcing the upwardly extending vportions of said side members into clamping engagement with said fish plates.

9. In a rail joint for meeting rail ends, a pair of fish plates overlying the meeting rail ends and each shaped to engage the lower surface of the rail head and the upper surface of the rail base, a supporting member underlying said rail ends, side members pivoted to saidsupporting member upon opposite sides of said rail ends andeaeh provided withy an upwardly extending portion adapted to engage each fish plate at points'ad] acent to the head and base thereof, whereby a line of support is provided Yby the upwardly extendingportion of saidside member to supplement the vsupport afforded for the rail head bythe fish plate, and means for drawing the upwardly extending 'portions of said side members into"V clamping engagement-with said yfish plates. -10. In a rail joiiitformeeting rail ends, a pairof fishprlates overlying the meeting rail ends, a vsupporting' member underlying.. ythe.meeting'rail ends, side members carried by said supporting member upon opposite sides of the meeting rail ends and eaeh provided with yan lupwardly extending portion having'a three line Contact; with-oneof the fish plates, `and means for forcingfthe up'-v wardly lextending port-ions of said side meni-V 'bei'sintoy 'clamping engagement with said fishplates. 11. vIn a rail'join't for meeting rail ends,

a pair of fish plates overlyingv the meeting rail ends, a supporting member underlying the meeting rail ends and provided with inclined side edges, side members pivoted to said supporting member upon opposite sides of the meeting rail ends and having downwardly and inwardly extending portions located adjacent to the inclined side edgesof the supporting member vand upwardly and inwardly inclined portionsV adapted to engage the fish plates, and means carried by the downwardly and inwardly inclined portionsof the side members engageable with thev inclinedside edges of the supporting member for forcing the upwardly and' inwardly inclined portions of the side .meinbers into clamping engagement withthe fish plates.l

12. In a rail joint for meeting rail'ends, a pair of fish plates overlying the opposite sides of the meeting rail ends, asupporting member underlying the meeting irail ends, side members pivoted' to said supporting member upon opposite sides of themeeting Vrail ends, the pivot points of said side mem` bers being located above the bases of the meeting rail ends, and means for forcing the upwardly extending portions yof said side members into clamping engagement y with said fish plates. y y l 13. In a rail joint for meeting` rail ends, a pair of fish plates overlying the opposite sides of the meeting rail ends, a supporting ysides of the meeting rail ends, a supporting.

member underlying the meeting rail ends, means carried by said supporting member and engaging the lowerv outer edges of the fish plates wherebythe supporting member is suspended from the lower Veuryed outer member underlying the meeting rail ends, and means carried by said supporting memV- surfaces of the fish plates, and means for maintaining the fish platesin upright position engaging the opposite sides of the meeting rail ends.

15. In a rail joint for meeting rail ends, a pair of iish pla-tes overlying the meeting rail ends and each shaped to engage the lower surface of the rail head and the upper surface of the rail base, a supporting member underlying said rail ends and provided with inclined side edges, Vside lmembers pivoted to said supporting member upon opposite sides of said rail ends and each provided with an upwardly extending portion adapted to engage each fish plate at points adjacent to the head and base thereof whereby a line of support is provided by the upwardly extending portion of each side rmember to supplement the support afforded for the rail headby the iish plate, and a downwardly and inwardly inclined portion located adjacent to one of the inclined side edges of the supporting member, and means carried by the downwardly and inwardly inclined portions of the side members engageable with the inclined side edges of the supporting member for forcing the upwardly extending portions of the side members into clamping engagement with said iish plates. Y Y

In testimony whereof I have aiiixed my signature.

JOHN w. CLARK. 

